Use Lining Paper On Your Walls!
Why use lining and paper?
Lining Paper can be used behind both wallpaper and paint. The wallpaper label may say, “before hanging this wallpaper, the walls will need cross lining paper first.” If not, perhaps double lining.
But why do we use it? When we look to decorate our homes, we look for our ideal paint colour. Perhaps we would like to install a feature wallpaper from our local decorating store to complement our chosen colour and room design. Alternatively, we may look to fully wallpaper our chosen room instead.
Often is the case when we arrive home to start decorating and check through our purchase materials that we will come across this wallpaper label.
So let’s learn why it is highly recommended, what it is, about grades, and how to hang it.
What is meant by the term cross lining?
Cross lining is the term used to advise you to put up lining paper in a horizontal direction prior to the installation of wallpaper.
With cross lining, you are preventing the wallpaper seams of both wallpapers from coming together vertically, if the lining has been hung vertically. It is important that the wallpaper seams do not match the seams of the lining paper or the joints could open over time. If you suspect the two seams of the wallpapers are going to meet, it is a good idea to start with a half width of your top wallpaper, if possible. Then follow that by a full width of wallpaper. This way you have gone across the lining paper joints underneath. However, having the lining hung in a horizontal direction reduces the risk of the wallpaper seams meeting vertically across the wall area.
What is double lining?
Double lining is hanging two lots of lining paper in two different directions. The first layer would be hung vertically and allowed to dry overnight. The second layer is then applied in a horizontal direction.
Why do we need to cross line?
Many homes have been painted so many times over the years. They’re painted with different types of finishes from gloss, silk and matte at points in time. They are also filled with various fillers. Larger patches may be blended out with gypsum plaster.
With all of these textures across the surface, the porosity across the wall is uneven. This causes problems with hanging your desired wallpaper. It affects the performance. It affects the adhesion by inconsistent drying times. That could cause the wallpaper to fail by shrinking or poor adhesion.
By having the wall cross lined, you’ll have uniform porosity and drying time, prevent shrinkage and adhesion problems. It also give the top wallpaper a more solid look. It will be harder wearing, due to the support of the lining paper underneath.
What are the different types of lining paper?
Lining paper comes in various grades. The lower the grade, the finer it is. The higher the grade, the thicker the lining paper becomes. For example: If your wall is fairly flat with only a few hairline cracks, an 800 to 1000 grade would be ideal. But if you are very damaged with plastering imperfections, perhaps you would need to go as high as a 2000 grade.
I mainly use a 1000 to 1200 grade lining paper. I find it is a happy medium to work with. It’s just right to handle either vertically or horizontally. An 800 grade is much more thin and could cause problems over long distance horizontally with distortion. Having said that, hanging an 800 grade vertically is easier.
I have used a 2000 grade lining paper many times on various projects. It is like a thin cardboard. But it’s very tough and can be challenging to install over a long horizontal plane. There is no give. It is quite rigid and heavier to handle over distance.
1000 grade = 0.26mm thickness
1200 grade = 0.30mm thickness
1400 grade = 0.32mm thickness
1700 grade = 0.35mm thickness
2000 grade = 0.375mm thickness
Other uses of lining paper.
Just painting? It’s a great product to use a base liner prior to painting walls. It covers up those annoying hairline cracks and makes the wall look incredibly more superior.
Important Tip
If you’re thinking of hanging a white or light opaque wallpaper, it is important to use a high white lining paper to achieve the desired finish of your chosen wallpaper. If you use the standard type of lining paper, which is an off white colour, this could affect the overall appearance by making the wallpaper look darker than it really is.
When you need a specialist wallpaper hanger take a moment to learn about our Wallpaper and Wallcovering Installation Services.
From the selection of quality materials to the careful preparation of walls, we guarantee a quality level of finish that reflects your investment.